Red Sox Journal: Joe Kelly lands on 10-day DL in surprise move

BOSTON — Joe Kelly went from being the Red Sox’ eighth-inning setup man to the disabled list in about an hour on Saturday afternoon.

Manager John Farrell sang the reliever’s praises during his pre-game press conference, saying that Kelly was his eighth-inning guy when healthy and the club was about ready to start using him in back-to-back games.

Not long after that Kelly was placed on the DL with a strained right hamstring, an injury that is likely to hamstring Farrell’s use of the bullpen and certainly did on Saturday when he asked Craig Kimbrel to get four outs a day after Matt Barnes had pitched two innings in relief.

Brandon Workman, who had been recalled from Pawtucket to serve as the 26th man for Sunday's doubleheader, was immediately activated and took Kelly’s spot in the bullpen.

Kelly has been having a good year at face value, but his numbers are better than his performance. Kelly’s earned run average is 1.49 but he has allowed 7 of 17 inherited runners to score and has blown both of his save opportunities.

Activation imminent

Brock Holt, who's been attempting to come back from concussion and vertigo issues, may be about to return to the major leagues. Farrell said the veteran utility man could be activated as early as Sunday. Holt has played 24 minor- league rehab games since going on the DL on April 21.

Doubleheader history

The Yankees and Red Sox play two games on Sunday, the teams’ first doubleheader against each other since July 7, 2012. Boston has not fared well in twinbills recently, sweeping just two of its last 17 overall. New York and Boston have played eight doubleheaders in the last 20 years with the Yankees having a slight 2-1-5 edge. The foes have split each of the last four.

Game One is a 1:05 start and is the makeup of the April 25 rainout. Tickets originally purchased for that game will be good for admission in the Sunday's first game. The second game starts at 8:05 and is the regularly scheduled ESPN contest.

The first-place Red Sox will have to buck a little history to still be on top of the A.L. East in October. The 2017 Sox have hit 93 home runs and allowed 108; the last time they gave up more than they hit was 2015 and they finished six games under .500. It happened in 2014 and 2012 as well and they were a combined 44 games below .500 in those two seasons.

Boston has been outscored, 164-146, via home runs. The Sox are 15-23 when they give up more home runs than they hit, 36-16 otherwise.

There is no baseball rule requiring that teams hit more home runs than they give up in before they can qualify for the playoffs, but it has almost been an unwritten rule for the Red Sox. Since 1967, Boston has finished under .500 nine times and only one of those teams, the 1997 edition, has hit more home runs than allowed.

Starting with '67, the Red Sox have made postseason play 16 times. Only three of those teams had a home run deficit — 1975, 1986 and 1988 — which means that if the 2017 Sox make the playoffs allowing more homers than they hit, they’ll be the first Boston team to do that in 29 years.

The Sox have an opposite production gap in the double-plays department with 87 grounded into and 64 turned. That differential is greater than usual, but Boston teams have traditionally hit into more DPs than they have turned.

Remembering our vets

Saturday's game was preceded by a solemn ceremony with the Home Base Program recognizing the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. Hundreds of Vietnam veterans circled the infield as part of the event and the Sox displayed their giant American flag draped over the left-field wall.

The weekend series has also featured a showing of the Moving Wall listing Vietnam War deaths. It has been erected along Van Ness Street outside of Fenway Park, not far from the team’s commemorative statues.

One step closer

Carson Smith had a bullpen session on Saturday as his comeback continues. There remains no timetable as to when, or even if, he will pitch in 2017.

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